Universal #838

Legacy number: 838

 Number  835
 Original  A liquid with both lateral and non-lateral allophones is the likeliest candidate for the single liquid in a system.
 Standardized  IF there is any other liquid, THEN there will be a liquid with both lateral and non-lateral allophones.
 Keywords  liquid, lateral, non-lateral
 Domain  phonology
 Type  implication
 Status  achronic
 Quality  statistical
 Basis  sample of 321 languages by Maddieson 1980
 Source  Lass 1984: 158-9, taken from survey by Maddieson 1980

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Discussion
Notes
A good example is Nasioi (E. Papuan) with an alveolar tap realized as [ l] before /u o/.
Comment
Frans Plank · 3 Aug 2006
A good example is Nasioi (E. Papuan) with an alveolar tap realized as [ l] before /u o/.